In Life Pivots

In Conscious Capitalism

My Story is My Path

Resources for all those called to leadership who understand the power of words and stories to shape their futures from one of the nation’s preeminent narrative coaches, Christine Cavanaugh-Simmons of CCS Consulting Inc. These downloadable articles and resources—appropriate for executive leadership development and with diversity and inclusion programs—will inform and help leaders discover, re-author, and share their stories to promote purposeful action.

Malcolm X was a man of passion- strong and eloquent and on a journey of self-discovery during his last year of life. Christine Cavanaugh-Simmons was a young teenage girl, drawn to his search for truth and his ability to live into the story that he wanted for himself.

Two stories shape our lives: the stories we tell about ourselves, and the master social narrative that defines our relationships and roles within society. When people in marginalized groups offer what’s known as a “counter narrative,” they open up new worlds of possibility for themselves and others in their group.

Through a guided narrative process, management consultant and president of CCS Consulting Inc. can help executives discover their stories, re-author parts of those stories that are holding them back, and then share them effectively with their teams.

The heart of narrative therapy and coaching is “re-authoring,” also known as “creating a counter-narrative.” The premise of this approach is that a life doesn’t have just one story, it has many, and healthy choices can be made among them—a patient or client can re-think, revamp, restructure the story of his or her life.

As leaders get farther from where the real work of their organizations is being done, their understanding of what is happening on the ground diminishes and their language becomes more abstract. If executives hope to implement positive change in their organizations, they need to have a firm understanding of what life is like for lower-level employees.

Media & Photos

in

Your company's ability to trust and believe in your vision is dependent on your strategic narrative. This narrative takes your three stories- Who Am I?, Who Are We?, and Where Are We Going?, and blends them into one narrative. It is the final piece of the puzzle that will push your company towards your goals and reach achievement.

in

People want leaders that they can trust. That trust is built when they see that the person is someone they can relate to, someone they can put their faith in, someone they understand- a person who lets their vulnerability show. How do you become that leader? By looking back at the stories that got you to where you are.

in

The story of your company is an important one. It helps you understand where you came from and how you got to where you are now. It can help you know how you need to change to become better than you are at this moment. How do you do this? By looking at your company culture!

in

When thinking about where you want your company to go, you must also think about where you have been and where you are now. What are the defining moments in your company's history that push you towards the future you envision and the goals you have set? What story do you want your company to tell?